Ted's father, Gus Xenelis, right, and an unidentified man, stand at the entrance to the Middlesex Fruitery, a longtime fruit stand on Main Street, which is closing Saturday. Gus and his father bought the store in 1923.

Ted's father, Gus Xenelis, right, and an unidentified man, stand at the entrance to the Middlesex Fruitery, a longtime fruit stand on Main Street, which is closing Saturday. Gus and his father bought the store in 1923. (John Woike)

The Middlesex Fruitery, a longtime fruit stand on Main Street in Middletown, is closing Saturday as Ted Xelenis and his wife Mary decided to retire. Ted's father and grandfather bought the store in 1923. Ted started working there part time at the age of 10 and then took it over when his father could not longer run the store in the 1990s due to health reasons.